Remote media streaming

Abstract

A redirection device for remote streaming media reroutes media content sent to the receiving device, typically located in the home of the subscriber, to the subscriber's mobile device such as a laptop or smartphone. Remote media streaming provides media recipients with capabilities for out-of-home (OOH) viewing for remotely rendering media content from a subscriber based receiving device to a personal electronic device. The remote streaming redirects media that has already been received by the subscription based receiving device, such that the redirection device forwards a rendering signal including the requested content to the rendering device based on the reported location. The redirected media stream therefore emanates from the redirection device as an independent transmission of content already received by the receiving device, and not as a separate transmission of media content from the content provider.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of rendering media content received at a local receiving device serving a local media network, comprising:
 receiving a rendering signal from the local receiving device, the rendering signal having media content, at a redirection device coupled to the local media network, the local media network operative to transport media content from a content provider to rendering devices in the local media network; 
 determining that an intended rendering device is not connected to the local media network; 
 determining a specific network identifier indicative of the intended rendering device on a redirection network, the redirection device coupled between the local receiving device and the redirection network; and 
 redirecting the rendering signal being received from a content provider from the redirection device to a current location of the intended rendering device by transmitting the rendering signal according to a specific network identifier corresponding to the intended rendering device, the rendering signal received by the local receiving device including the specific network identifier for the intended rendering device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the rendering signal includes a network identifier indicative of the intended rendering device; and
 the local receiving device examines the network identifier before forwarding the rendering signal to the redirection device. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 identifying a network identifier of the intended rendering device; 
 comparing the identified network identifier to network identifiers of rendering devices available on the local media network; and 
 concluding that the network identifier of the intended rendering device is not included in the network identifiers available on the local media network. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein the local media network corresponds to a subscriber of the content provider, and the rendering signal is received by the local receiving device before rendering on a rendering device connected to the local media network or redirected via the redirection device. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  further comprising delivering the media content to the local receiving device pursuant to a contractual arrangement, and redirecting the rendering signal occurs after the media content has been received by the local receiving device. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein the local receiving device is a settop box based on a user subscription to the service provider for receiving the media content over the content delivery network, the local delivery area corresponding to direct wired connections and WiFi transmissions in and around the curtilage of a dwelling in which the local receiving device is disposed. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  further comprising
 receiving a rendering signal inclusive of the media content at the local receiving device; 
 receiving a rendering preference indicative of whether the rendering device is outside the local media network; and 
 redirecting, if the rendering preference indicates a remote location, the rendering signal to the rendering device, the redirected rendering signal including the media content for rendering the media content on the rendering device. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  wherein the redirected rendering signal passes through the redirection device using the same source before and after the redirection to the intended rendering device. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1  wherein the redirection includes receiving the rendering signal at the local receiving device and, following receipt by the local receiving device, forwarding the rendering signal from the local receiving device to the intended rendering device, the local receiving device continuing as a source of the rendering signal received by the intended rendering device. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1  wherein the rendering signal passes through the local receiving device during transport to the intended receiving device for avoiding an additional stream from the content provider. 
     
     
       11. A media redirection device, comprising:
 an interface to a local receiving device on a local media network for receiving a rendering signal, the rendering signal having media content, the local media network operative to transport media content from a content provider to rendering devices in the local media network; 
 rendering logic for determining that an intended rendering device of the media content is not connected to the local media network, the rendering logic configured for determining a specific network identifier indicative of the intended rendering device on a redirection network, the redirection device coupled between the local receiving device and the redirection network; and 
 a placeshifted output interface to a redirection network for redirecting the rendering signal being received from a content provider from the redirection device to a current location of the intended rendering device by transmitting the rendering signal according to a specific network identifier corresponding to the intended rendering device the rendering signal received by the local receiving device including the specific network identifier for the intended rendering device. 
 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 11  wherein
 the rendering signal received by the local receiving device is intended for the intended rendering device. 
 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 11  wherein
 the local receiving device is configured to examine the network identifier before forwarding the rendering signal to the redirection device. 
 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 11  wherein the rendering logic is further configured to:
 identify a network identifier of the intended rendering device; 
 compare the identified network identifier to network identifiers of rendering devices available on the local media network; and 
 conclude that the network identifier of the intended rendering device is not included in the network identifiers available on the local media network. 
 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 11  wherein the local media network corresponds to a subscriber of the content provider, and the rendering signal is received by the local receiving device before rendering on a rendering device connected to the local media network or redirected via the redirection device. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 15  wherein the content provider delivers the media content to the local receiving device pursuant to a contractual arrangement, and redirecting the rendering signal occurs after the media content has been received by the local receiving device. 
     
     
       17. The device of  claim 11  wherein the local receiving device is a settop box based on a user subscription to the service provider for receiving the media content over the content delivery network, the local delivery area corresponding to direct wired connections and WiFi transmissions in and around the curtilage of a dwelling in which the local receiving device is disposed. 
     
     
       18. The device of  claim 11  wherein:
 the interface is configured to receive a rendering signal inclusive of the media content from the local receiving device; 
 the rendering logic is operable to receive a rendering preference indicative of whether the rendering device is outside the local media network; and 
 the placeshifted output interface is configured to redirect, if the rendering preference indicates a remote location, the rendering signal to the rendering device, the redirected rendering signal including the media content for rendering the media content on the rendering device. 
 
     
     
       19. A system for rendering media content, comprising:
 a local receiving device for receiving a rendering signal having media content from a content provider, the local receiving device coupled to a local media network operative to transport media content from the content provider to rendering devices in the local media network; 
 a redirection device for receiving the rendering signal forwarding from the local receiving device, the redirection device coupled to the local media network; 
 rendering logic for determining that an intended rendering device is not connected to the local media network, the rendering logic further operable to determine a specific network identifier indicative of the intended rendering device on a redirection network, the redirection device coupled between the local receiving device and the redirection network; and 
 an interface to the redirection network for redirecting the rendering signal being received from a content provider from the redirection device to a current location of the intended rendering device by transmitting the rendering signal according to a specific network identifier corresponding to the intended rendering device, the rendering signal received by the local receiving device including the specific network identifier for the intended rendering device. 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 19  wherein the rendering signal received by the local receiving device is intended for the intended rendering device.